Who is Masten Wanjala? Profile, Background, and Family

Masten Milimo Wanjala is a 20-year-old Kenyan who hit global headlines after he confessed to  brutal murder of over ten children.

The confessed serial killer recounted to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) how he lured unsuspecting children before killing them.

He was arrested in Shauri Moyo on Wednesday, July 14, 2021, in connection to the death of two children, after which he led the officers to the location of their bodies.

Wanjala was held at Jogoo Road police station but had yet to be charged when he escaped from custody on October 14, 2021.

The following day, Wanjala was lynched by an angry mob in Mukhweya, Bungoma County, and beaten to death.

Family Background and Education

Masten is the son of Robert Wanjala Watira and Edna Nabalayo. However, the two separated before he was born.

According to Water, Edna got married again somewhere in Machakos County. He that he only got to interact with the on later and have never stayed with Masten for long, he did not know him too well.

Edna introduced Masten to his father when he was 18. He has a step-sister named Gladys Wanjala and a cousin named Moffat Wanjala who is an egg vendor and resides in a one-bedroom rental house at Gracious estate in Kitengela, Kajiado County.

When Wanjala came home, Water was willing to recover the lost time between him and his son, so he enrolled him at nearby Namakhele Primary School.

Masten, however, attended the school for one term before he disappeared. He later return, this time alone, and it seemed like he came to stay.

He again disappeared in 2020 after Gladys (Masten’s mother), informed his father that he was wanted for the murder of a child in Machakos and was hiding at his father’s place.

Masten again disappeared in 2020 after Gladys informed his father that he was wanted for the murder of a child in Machakos and was hiding at his father’s place.

Killing Thirst

Masten is said to have developed a thirst for blood while still a young teenager. He executed his first killing while aged 14.

He has committed a series of murders since 2015 across four counties; Bungoma, Machakos, Nairobi, and Kajiado and marked on his calendar, the name of his victim against the date of the murder.

RELATED: Masten Wanjala, the Child Killer is Dead

He  disposed of the bodies of his victims in pit latrines, thickets, and sewer lines to cover his tracks

In the first case in 2015, he kidnapped 12-year-old Purity Maweu from Kima Kimwe, Machakos County, sucked her blood, and left her dead. Her body was discovered a day later.

In 2019, Wanjala struck again in Kimilili and strangled a 13-year old boy named Aaron.

In 2020, he murdered Augustine Mukhisa,13, at Chwele in Bungoma County. The boy’s body was discovered stashed in a sack and dumped in a pit latrine next to his father’s house.

He also killed another boy named Austin, 12 years old from Kitengela, and dumped his body in a sewer along General Waruinge Street in Nairobi.

The serial killer also lured another boy by the name Josee, 13, from Mlolongo, and just like Austin dumped his body in sewage along General Waruinge Street in Nairobi.

He strangled another victim, Musa, and stashed his body in a sack, and dumped it at Eastleigh’s 12th Street roundabout.

On December 20, he lured two street boys from Mathare and Eastleigh, strangled them, and dumped their bodies in different places.

On June 30 and July 7, 2021, he kidnapped and strangled 13-year-old Charles Opindo Bala and 12-year-old Junior Mutuku Musyoka. He dumped one body near Kabete Approved School and the other in a thicket near Spring Valley in Westlands.

Before committing the shameful act, Wanjala attempted to reach their parents, seeking a ransom from both, and when they failed to raise the money, he killed the children.

The worried parents informed the police who tracked the signal to his hideout in Kitengela where he was arrested. He led the police to the locations where he had dumped the bodies.

Masten is said to have been remanded at the Kabete Approved School some time back. Its believed this is how he got to know the areas in Nairobi where he disposed off his victims’ bodies